My Beautiful Rescue
by nathanlove23
Summary: For Haley James, high school has been nothing but lonely.  But when Nathan Scott walks into her life everything suddenly changes.  What will happen when Haley finally decides to make high school something to remember?  Season 1. Semi AU.
1. In a Second

**For anyone who is reading "Light on My Shoulder," I'm not abandoning that story. I'm only writing this story in addition to it. Also, in regards to this story, most chapters will be longer than this one.**

* * *

_I'm Haley James. There's nothing extraordinary or interesting about me. I'm just another girl trying to make it out of high school alive._

_I'm pretty sure that most of my classmates don't even know my name. I've heard people refer to me as "that girl," a label I've grown accustomed to over the years. The only thing that makes me remotely unique is the fact that I'm a tutor at Tree Hill High School. It doesn't exactly put me in the same popularity status as it would if I was a cheerleader and it definitely doesn't me invited to parties, but I love it all the same. The tutoring center is really the only place in that school where I feel comfortable. _

_But one day I got fed up. I got sick of it being me against the world. I needed a change. I was already a senior in high school and I had no memories to show for it. I had months before I would graduate and I hadn't done anything that was a stereotypical high school activity. So I decided that if unforgettable experiences weren't just going to happen naturally, I'd make them happen._

_I had no idea that it would only take one choice for everything in my world to change completely._

* * *

The only real friend I've ever had is Lucas Scott. Sure I have other people who I hang out with on occasion, but Lucas is the only person who actually knows the real me. We connected in middle school because we were both condemned to be outcasts; me for my nerdy tendencies and Lucas for being the boy without a father. After I met Lucas, I knew everything would be okay. I wasn't scared when I entered high school because I knew I had Lucas by my side.

But then basketball happened.

Lucas made the varsity team our sophomore year. He finally decided he couldn't let his ass father Dan run his life anymore. I was ecstatic for him; I wanted Lucas to be happy. I don't think I would have been quite as excited if I had known it would forever alter our friendship.

As bitter as I can be about it sometimes, I don't think Lucas ever purposely left me behind. He just got caught up in what it felt like to finally be accepted. Lucas even became friends with his formerly estranged brother Nathan and started dating the most popular girl in our grade, Brooke Davis. All because of basketball. So I guess somewhere in between all of that it changed from me and Lucas against the world to just me. He still talks to me, and I guess you could even call us friends, but it'll never be like it was before basketball.

So that's when I started tutoring. I said in my application I wanted to be a tutor to help people, which was true I guess, but really I was hoping I would meet another tutor who was just as lonely as me.

I think I got more than I bargained for out of signing up to be a tutor. I just wanted a friend, but instead I fell in love.

* * *

I still remember everything about that day when he walked into the tutoring center. It was a game day so he was dressed in black dress pants and matching shirt and tie. Our eyes met each others for only a brief second, but I instantly felt a connection. He had this familiar look in his eyes, one that I couldn't place at first. Then I remembered that my eyes had a similar look in them when I stared in the mirror: he was lonely like me.

I wasn't sure if I could quite believe that. For the boy who stole my heart that day was none other than Nathan Scott. Nathan Scott, none other than Lucas' brother, the bad boy who made the Ravens varsity team freshman year and was known for partying and sleeping around. I didn't see how popularity and loneliness could go together at all.

When he approached me that day, I think my heart started to beat at an unhealthy rate. I remember repeatedly saying "Please say I'm your tutor" in my mind. But to my dismay, he asked me where I could find Bridget, the worst and bitchiest tutor. I pointed her out silently, my smile fading. He nodded his head in a sign of gratitude, a moment I would relive in my mind over and over for weeks. Who knew that a head nod could be so freaking adorable?

Everyday after that I would look at him every once in awhile in the tutor center. I was still so intrigued by the state of his eyes that first day and I just couldn't stop wondering what made him so lonely. I could tell he was hardly ever paying attention to Bridget during the tutoring, something she never noticed. Each time he walked past me when he came for his tutoring session, I contemplated finally saying hi or even flashing a smile in his direction, but I never could bring myself to do it. I didn't think I had the confidence to make such a brave (at least what I considered to be brave) move.

Apparently though, I am much bolder than I ever thought.


	2. Dare You To Move

_Ever have one of those moments when you suddenly turn from happy to sad?_

_I hate that. I hate realizing that despite all the hoping and wishing, things stay __exactly__ the same. It was never suppose to be like this. I was just sick of standing around, hoping. I didn't mean to make myself fall for him even harder._

_I don't even know him. Maybe I'm just pretending that he's who I want him to be in my mind. I guess it doesn't matter how it happened, the important thing is I like him now...and now I'm stuck crushing on someone who I hardly know. All because I decided to take a risk; I thought risks were supposed to make things__better._

_But at the same time, that's why I still have hope. There has to be a reason something in me had me act so out of character, right? You'd think I would be rewarded for something like that that._

_I just desperately want my senior year to be everything the other three years of high school weren't. Mostly that means I just want to fall in love; especially with him._

* * *

I hate homecoming week.

A normal teenager lives for this week. They love dressing up for spirit days with their best friends and participating in all the other activities leading up to the dance. But I'm not normal.

Homecoming week only reminds me of everything I don't have. I don't have a best friend to dress alike with on twin day or a boyfriend to go to the annual dance with. Usually I would simply skip the homecoming dance without a second though but my plan to make my senior year memorable made me consider otherwise. So when Gigi, a fellow tutor, asked if I wanted to go with her group to the dance, I decided against my better judgment to accept.

The only other time in my high school career I attended a dance was my freshman year; Lucas was my date. Neither of us had wanted to go but Karen, Lucas' mother, had insisted it would be the time of our lives. But instead, Lucas had gotten his ass kicked by Nathan and his entourage. Karen never encouraged us to go to another school function after that.

But things change and people change. And despite my better judgment, I just couldn't get the idea out of my mind that Nathan Scott was one of those people.

* * *

I stared critically at my reflection in the mirror. My hair laid on my shoulders in long, loose curls. My dark blue dress accentuated my petite figure according to my mother, but all I could see were flaws. For lack of another option though, I wore the dress anyways and prayed I was just being self conscious.

When Gigi and I walked into the decorated Tree Hill High cafeteria and saw the crowds of people, I immediately regretted my decision to come. A crammed dance floor for someone as clumsy as me was bound to result in many awkward moments. But as I was considering making a run for it, I felt Gigi tug on my arm and pull me into the action.

Much to my surprise, when the dance was halfway over, I found that I was actually having a pretty decent time. At the same time, the night was far from my dreams of a typical high school experience. I needed to do something to make the night memorable.

That's when I saw him.

He was dancing with another girl, her back to him as their bodies grinded together. I watched in awe of the girl, wondering how she had the confidence to do something like that with a guy, let alone Nathan Scott.

"Gigi, teach me to dance," I asked suddenly.

"What are you talking about? You're dancing fine!" Gigi assured.

"No, I want to dance like that," I said, nodding my head towards Nathan's direction.

Gigi immediately broke into a fit of giggles. "That's not exactly something you teach Haley," Gigi said, still laughing. "You just have to go up to a guy and…well just move!"

"I'm going to ask him to dance," I announced, my eyes still fixated on Nathan.

"Nathan?" Gigi practically screamed.

"Yes," I stated, suddenly full of determination.

"Haley, I'm not sure if that's such a good idea…" Gigi began.

But it was too late. As soon as a slow song began to ring through the room, I started making my way towards Nathan Scott.

* * *

His back was to me when I approached him and I tapped him firmly on the shoulder.

Nathan whipped his head around and met my gaze. "Want to dance?" I asked fearlessly.

With a shrug of his shoulders, Nathan agreed and placed his hands on my waist. I placed my hands on the back of his neck, barely able to reach because of his height and my lack of it.

"I work in the tutor center. I see you in there with Bridget sometimes," I clarified, not wanting Nathan to think I was just another random admirer.

"Yeah, I know," he replied simply.

We danced in awkward silence for a few moments, both of eyes moving around the room to avoid looking directly at each other.

The silence between us was driving me insane. I had to come up with something to start a conversation again. "So, you're a senior right?" I asked stupidly, immediately regretting asking such an obvious question.

"Yeah," Nathan replied, a slight smirk appearing on his face.

Quickly, the silence returned. Briefly, the thought of just ending the dance right then entered my mind. But I forced myself to fight through the awkwardness. I again racked my brain for anything to talk about.

"Are you having a good time?" I inquired with a smile.

"Yeah, but it's really hot in here," he responded. I could tell he was in fact hot because sweat dripped from his hair onto my hands. "Are you having a good time?" he asked back.

"Yeah, it's really fun," I said, my tone exaggerating the amount of fun I was having somewhat.

The song continued on and I anxiously waited for it to end, I thought I was going to explode from such an overwhelming amount of awkwardness. But as I awaited the finish of the song, I started panicking about what I would say when the dance was over. Do you thank someone for dancing with you? Or do you just walk away without saying anything?

The song drowned out and luckily, Nathan spared me from further embarrassment and had the last word. "It was nice dancing with you," Nathan smirked and I just smiled back at him.

I walked away in complete shock; shock that I had actually asked him to dance and shock that he had agreed. Gigi excitedly approached me, begging for details.

Too excited and astonished to talk quite yet, I held up my shaking hands to Gigi as a testimony of how amazing my night had just become.


	3. Accidentally in Love

_I can't help but wonder if that night was my biggest mistake._

_What the hell was I thinking?_

* * *

"What came over you?" Gigi asked, obviously still astonished by my boldness as was I.

"I don't know," I admitted. "It was like an out of body experience almost. Something came over me and I just started walking over there. I honestly don't even remember what I was thinking."

"Well, either way I can't believe you did that," Gigi replied.

"Me either," I confessed as I watched Nathan from afar as he chatted with his friends. I couldn't help but wonder if they were mocking me; I assumed they were.

"You guys are totally going to date now," Gigi joked.

I gave Gigi a half smile and wishfully looked back at Nathan one last time, wondering if maybe this would be the catalyst I needed to get to know Nathan Scott.

* * *

For the remainder of the weekend, all I could think about was my dance with Nathan. I replayed it over and over in my mind, even all the horrifically embarrassing moments of the dance. I just couldn't wrap my mind around the fact that I had actually danced with him.

Due to my spontaneous decision to ask Nathan to dance, I hadn't exactly taken what returning to school would be like.

I don't think I've ever been so terrified to go to school in my life. Actually, I think school is the only place I where I feel like I semi-belong. I excel at academics; I always have; probably in order to make up for my lack of talent in the social aspect of life.

Walking into the tutoring center the Monday following the dance definitely ranks on my list of most horrifying moments of my life; even though I was almost positive I would be beating Nathan there. I held my breath as I made my way towards the nearest table, my eyes solely focused on the table ahead of me and nothing else. I was desperate to avoid any awkward confrontation with Nathan; I really didn't need to make more of a fool of myself than I already had.

After pulling out the materials I needed for tutoring that day, I finally mustered up the courage to look around the room. I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw that Nathan hadn't arrived yet. My plan was to just focus on the freshman I was tutoring and hope to avoid Nathan altogether.

It didn't work.

I could tell the moment he walked into the tutoring center. The sound of squeaking basketball shoes rung in my ears and my heart instinctively started beating excessively. The smart thing to have done in this situation would have been to say hi or at least flash a smile in his direction, something that semi exuded confidence. Instead I stopped mid-explanation of geometry and stared intently at the math problem in front of me, trying to regain my focus.

Even after I had calmed down somewhat, I still couldn't shake my desire to look in Nathan's direction. Throughout my entire tutoring session, I could have sworn I felt Nathan looking at me. I have never been so relieved when the tutoring center closed for the day; I didn't think it was possible for time to pass that slowly. I quickly packed up my things and left, making sure I beat Nathan out of there.

But as I started making my way towards the school parking lot, I heard someone calling my name. I turned around and was greeted by Gigi, who was running to catch up with me.

"Hey, we really need to talk," she said breathlessly.

"Um, do you think it could wait? I really need to get going," I said, only half lying. I had no where to be but if Nathan Scott even so much as walked past me again I was pretty sure I'd pass out.

"I guess," Gigi hesitated. "Can we maybe meet after tutoring tomorrow?"

"Sure, sure," I agreed anxiously. "I really have to go now, see you tomorrow!" I quickly hurried through the hall, picking up the pace even more when I heard the familiar squeaking of basketball shoes.

My thoughts moved at the same pace of my feet as I raced through the hallway. I knew that I should be approaching Nathan, not running away. But I just couldn't bring myself to do it. A simple hello would just be one more thing he could mock me about with his friends. I don't want to be a joke to him; and I guess I'm contradicting myself by assuming I would be a joke to him. I truly do believe that he has more of a heart than people assume; I'm just not so sure if he'd ever open up his heart to someone like me.


	4. Keep Breathing

_I don't even know him. I have to keep telling myself that. _

_I don't know him so I shouldn't be crying over him. He might just be the guy I'm imagining him to be. Besides, it is not possible to feel a connection with someone you talked to once. _

_Yet, here I am._

* * *

I continued to have difficulty breathing each time I entered the tutoring center; praying that today would be the day that Nathan would finally approach me. But it never happened. I'd stare longingly across the tutor center at him, trying to remain discreet, as my tutoree worked on a problem. There were a few brief moments where his gaze would match mine but I'd quickly turn my head away in embarrassment.

I did consider talking to him myself but I thought it was too risky. If I opened my mouth around him again I was bound to say something completely moronic causing me further humiliation. Besides, I figured if he was interested he would make a move. After all, he was _the_ Nathan Scott; it isn't like he would be scared to talk to me, he knew perfectly well that he could have any girl he wanted.

Apparently I got so caught up in dissecting my non-existing relationship with Nathan Scott that I didn't even notice when tutoring ended.

"Wake up Haley," Gigi said, waving her hand in my face.

"Sorry, I guess I got distracted," I responded, my eyes instinctively moving towards the spot where Nathan had previously been sitting.

"It's okay. I need to talk to you remember?" Gigi questioned.

"Oh, that's right. I'm sorry, I meant to get back to you about that," I lied. I had actually completely forgotten anything from that afternoon with Gigi except for the sound of Nathan's basketball shoes behind me.

"I don't think that Nathan is who you imagine him to be," Gigi announced suddenly.

My cheeks immediately flushed; I was definitely not comfortable discussing Nathan with Gigi in such a public area, even if we were seemingly alone. "Do you want to go outside to talk about this?" I asked, my eyes nervously scanning the area for anyone who may have overheard Gigi's mention of Nathan Scott.

"Sure," Gigi laughed.

We sat down on a table in front of the school's entrance and Gigi repeated her earlier statement. "Haley, I'm really worried for you. I don't think that Nathan Scott is who you imagine him to be."

"You don't know that. You don't know him any better than I do," I pointed out.

"True. But I've heard enough stories to make a logical hypothesis."

"Maybe they are just stories, Gigi," I suggested.

"Haley, you know that's not true. Nathan is the typical jock; he's a pompous ass," Gigi retorted.

"I'm sure you are right," I conceded.

"What?" Gigi asked, shocked. "Then why do you still seem to be interested in him?"

"Because I am. I've seen Nathan enough at school to know that he can be arrogant, but something inside of me says that is just a mask he wears because it is what people expect him to act like."

"Haley, guys like that don't have to pretend to be someone they aren't. They already have the perfect life."

"Do you know that? Because I'm not so sure that's necessarily true. He looks lonely to me," I confided.

"I guess you have a point. But I really don't think that Nathan Scott is that guy; I don't want to see you get hurt Haley," Gigi replied, genuinely concerned.

"I appreciate that Gigi, really I do. But I'm not willing to give up on this guy I imagine Nathan Scott to be; no matter how irrational that may seem to you, it makes sense to me. There's something there Gigi, something I can't quite pinpoint, but it's there," I explained.

Gigi nodded, signaling her attempt to understand my point of view. "Just guard your heart okay? Guys like Nathan could do a lot of damage."

I nodded and moved to Gigi's side of the table to give her a thankful hug. I knew I needed to take her advice; especially the part about guarding my heart because I already could tell that my heart was in for a struggle.

* * *

I sat at the tutoring center, nervously fidgeting with my pencil, anxiously awaiting the arrival of the freshman student I had been tutoring. I had come to despise moments with nothing to do in the tutoring center because it allowed my nerves to overcome me.

As I popped a piece of gum into my mouth in order to calm down, Mr. King, the teacher supervisor for the tutoring center, approached me.

"Haley, it's good to see you," Mr. King greeted, shaking my hand, "I have a favor to ask of you."

"Sure Mr. King."

"Do you think that you could take over the tutoring of one of Bridget's students? He doesn't seem to be fairing any better in any of his classes. And since you have the most successful tutoring record here, I thought…" Mr. King explained.

"Absolutely," I smiled, honored to be so well thought of.

"Thanks, I really appreciate it," Mr. King smiled as he began to walk away. "Oh perfect, Mr. King exclaimed, "here he is right now."

I fiercely bit down on my inner lip when I saw that the boy Mr. King was referring to was none other than Nathan Scott.

I tried my best to plaster on a welcoming smile and pretend that this wasn't the most awkward moment of my life (maybe only second to actually dancing with Nathan). Nathan didn't smile back though; he just sort of stared at me blankly. This was going to be one excruciatingly long tutoring session.

* * *

Much to my disappointment, nothing extraordinary happened at my first session with Nathan. It hardly compared to my daydreams of what my first true encounter would be like with him; if they had he would have proclaimed his undying love for me and then pulled me in for a passionate kiss without another word because he couldn't bear to have his lips apart from mine any longer. Probably a little over the top and unlikely, but a girl can dream right?

Instead, the tutoring session was spent with me explaining gas laws and Nathan nodding his head or responding with a simple "yeah" if I asked if he understood what I was explaining. I surprised myself though with how well I handled the situation. Luckily, my extensive tutoring experience actually allowed me to sound confident, so that was a relief at least.

As soon as the clock turned to 3:30, Nathan stood up from his seat, thanked me for my help, and walked away. That was it. Suddenly the moment I had been anticipating was over. And what was there to show for it?

Absolutely nothing.


	5. Lonely World

_It's a weird sensation, getting everything you could ever have hoped or dreamed for. Because no matter how much you wish for something to happen, you never truly believe that it actually will._

_And as great as having your dreams come true is, it is absolutely terrifying because you have more to lose than ever before._

* * *

I didn't know what I was doing. I had been a tutor for three years but when Nathan sat across from me, all coherent and intelligent thoughts escaped my brain. It wasn't the tutoring itself that I had difficulty with, it was the social aspect. In all my previous tutoring experiences, I had formed bonds with the students I had tutored or at least were on friendly terms with them enough where I could wave at them in the hallway without shame. But everything with Nathan was different.

As he would try to decipher a math problem, I'd catch myself trying to get a glimpse into those eyes of his; those eyes which seemed to mask some intense sadness that he otherwise hid with apparent ease. I wanted nothing more then to understand the pain in those eyes. I wanted to be the one who would break down Nathan's walls. I wanted to be someone who could make the pain go away.

But I knew none of that would ever happen. I would never even be able to say hi to Nathan in the hallway without his friends snickering in front of my face, let alone become his friend or more unlikely still, his girlfriend. It wasn't my place in the social hierarchy of Tree Hill High to socialize with someone like Nathan Scott. I knew that, but it didn't stop me from constantly wishing that weren't the truth.

* * *

I don't think she realizes just how beautiful she is; I can't believe I never noticed her in the hallways before. Her blonde locks framed her face with such perfection and sometimes I felt like her eyes were piercing right through my heart. And her smile, god, it was gorgeous. I loved the way her face would light up each time I correctly answered a problem. I wish I didn't suck so damn bad at math, because I wanted nothing more to find the correct solution to every problem so I could see her stunning smile just once more.

But she was just my tutor. And despite her radiant smiles, I knew she had to hate tutoring me. To her I was probably just another dumb ass jock. Though I didn't know much about school activities other than sports, I knew enough to know that Haley James was destined to be our class valedictorian since freshman year. I'm no genius, I know that. But I'd never be dumb enough to think that someone as intelligent as Haley could ever look at someone like me, Nathan Scott, and think anything other then dumb jock.

But then I think back to homecoming when she asked me to dance. I was used to being asked by plenty of strangers at school dances to dance with them, but I had never been approached by someone like Haley James. The girls that usually danced with me had dresses that were barely long enough to conceal their underwear. When Haley asked me to dance with her, I was completely caught off guard but I did my best not to show it. The Nathan Scott my classmates knew and seemingly envied would not be affected by dancing with someone who was known for being a geek and a tutor.

I assumed that the dance had been a dare by one of Haley's friends. I played it cool and acted as though I was better then her, something I still feel like a jackass for doing but my reputation was on the line. After three and a half awkward minutes, the song ended and my teammates from the basketball team approached me and made snide comments about someone like Haley having the nerve to dance with me. I went along with it, ridiculing her worse then all the other guys in an effort to ensure they didn't know the truth about how I felt about dancing with Haley.

I had tried to catch every glimpse of her I could the remainder of that night. I kept wondering what it would be like to be with someone like her; someone who would be open to a guy much like the one I was so desperately trying to stifle within myself. But I knew thinking about such things was a waste of my time because I would never be good enough for someone like Haley James.


End file.
